Fruit grading or assorting machine.



No. 888,408. PATENTED MAY 19,1908. R. STRAIN.

FRUIT GRADING 0R ASSORTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED nov. 16, 1906.

fwerzZZr Bohr! 6W 3y 7M4 M M WW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S'IltA 1N, OF EL MODENA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO FRED STEBLER AND A USTIN A.

, GAMBLE, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT GRADING OR ASBORTIITG MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 19l)8.

Q Application filed November 16, 1905; Serial No. 287,494.

machines for asserting or grading oranges or other fruits according to their sizes, that separating the fruit into lets, all fruit in each lot being substantially the same dimensions or size.

The object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple and cheap apparatus or machine wluch shall be positive and efiicient in operation, in whichall liability to bruise the fruit Will be avoided, antlon wlnch any desired number of sizes or grade-scan be secured, the apparatus being preferably so mmstructed tiat eachgrade or size may be individually adjusted. if

To these ends my invention consists in' a machine having a fruit runway comprising a suitably supported horizontally traveling carrier belt and a series'of" cross-belts arranged above the horizontal or carrier belt, and adapted to push the fruit laterally off from the carrier belt and into suitable receiving bins or receptacles, the runway formed between this carrier belt and the cross belts being graduated by the adjust ment of the cross belts vertically and with respect to the surface of the carrier belt, the distances these cross belts are mounted above. the carrier belt determining the sizes of thefruit which will be operated upon by -the respective cross belts.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which: a

Figure '1 is a side elevation of a machine Fig. 2 is a trans- Fig. 3 is a detail'perspective view, showmg a fragment of the carrier belt and illustrating the manner of mounting the cross belts.

In the drawings I have illustrated a double or two-sided grader or assorter, and it is obvious that the machine maybebuilt as a double or single machine.

In the drawings, 2, 3 represent pulleys, about which the carrier belt 4 operates.

5. represents a grooved bed for the'belt 4, the drawing showing two grooves for a double or two-sided machine. Preferably the bed is grooved deei enou h to provide beads 6 at-each side of t e carrier belt.

The

bed 5 is suitably supported on cross bars 7 in turn supporte'd on uprights or standards 8.

9 represents a shaft suitably sup orted on the standards 8 and running lon ltudinally of the machine above the bed 5. t suitable intervals this shaft 9 is provided with ulleys 10. and extends longitudinally of the machine.

Upon this bar are mounted a series of pivoted.

arms 12, 14 preferably in pairs, which extend inward from the bar 11 and-over the belt 4'. The inner endsofeach pair of these arms 12, 12 are supported on an adjustin rod 13 which passes through a 'longitudina bar 14 mounted on the top of the standards8. Adjusting screws 15 are provided for holding A bar 11 is mounted on the stam ards 8 the rods 13 in the desired position, the ends 7 of the rod 13 bein threade The inner ends 0 each pair of arms 12, 12' are suitably spaced apart so that a lever-arm 16 maybe ivoted therebetween, as by a bolt .16. The ower end of the lever-arm 16 are forked to receive the pulleys 17. About respective belts 18. referably the upper end of the arms.16 are connected by springs 19 to the for this purpose;

ulleys 10, 17 travel the cross frame of the machine, thus automatically I keeping thecross-belts taut on the pulleys 10, 17.

at the .end of the lnaclnne with pulleys 20' belted to a suitable drive ulley mountedon a power shaft. Preferab y these shafts-9,

when a double or two sided machine is used,

as shown and extending about the The shafts 9 are preferably provided pulley 22, but any suitable means may be employed and I do not limit my invention to any particular means for mounting the belt or taking up slack therein. driven by power up lied in a referred mannor preferably to t 1e shaft 0 the'pulley 3. It is thus seen that by adjusting the position of the ulleys.17 with respect to the surface of the liielt 4 the distances between such survaried as desired.

The machine is preferably provided with a The belt 4 is feed trough 23 opening onto the carrier belt 4, two i'eed troughs being provided with a double machine.

With a machine of this construction, .the

larger sizes are first separated from the fruit carried along by the carrier 4',- then,"according to the set of the cross belts thesucceeding sizes'arc rolled or discharged therefrom,-

I do not deem the VallOuSde'tililSOf OOIPff stru'ction important as many modifications may .be made therein Without departing" from the scope of my invention.

- 1. A grading or assorting machine having 'a fruit runway comprising a horizontallytraveling'carrier and a series of cross belts arran' e transversely thereabove at graduated ei hts,- and means for-rotating said belts an 0 erating said carrier.

2. A gra ing or assorting machine havin a horizontally-traveling carrierbelt, a -be therefor, a series of cross belts arranged along the length ofsaidcarrier beltjtransversely-to and at graduatedheights thereabove, and

- cross-bclts.- a

3. A grading or assorting machine having a fruit runway comprising a-hogimntan y traveling carrier and a series ct-=-qrosste arranged transversely thereaboye" at add ated heights, means for adjustin "sai cross belts with respect to said trave carrier, and means for rotating saidbelts andope'rat-5 ing said carrier. v J

4. In a fruit grading machine, 'thecombi nation of an endless carrying belt running longitudinally in the machine, a transverse grading belt arranged above the carrying I belt, and means to adjust the height of the. v

grading belt above the carrying" belt.

5. A fruit sizcr' having a horizontally movmeans for opera-ting said carrier belt'and said. 1

j means} rotate Y n testimon I 'whereof,I have-hereunto set seems ing carrier, separating meansarran ed there-.1 above at M uated heights, and a in'e shaft from 'wliic said separating means are driven,

6. The combination with a horizontally moving carrier mounted on pulleys-at-the end ,of the machine, ofv separatmg means spaced a art'along said carri'er at graduated heights t ereabove, said separating means rot'at-ing transversely of the movement of saidcarrier o and driven from a lineshaft' at-thesideof 7 the -machine and; means for adjusting the \r heights ofsaid selmr'atirrg' rne'ana 1 {7QLThe' eombination,[with a horizontally moving carriermounted-on pulley at the 5;

end of the .machine, of' separating means spaced apart along saidcarrler gat graduated heights :thereabove; sald separating means mounted in frames 'vertica yifadjustable, a lineshaft at, the side 'of-theifj nachine and" means "for drivin said separating 'means fro'ni'sai l line sh t.- Q

-8.'.T he combination, in. 'ajfrult sizer, 'ofa horizontally traveling carrier, and separating meanss'paced apart along said carnerand at graduated-heights therefrom, said separating in' a direction transverse to movement, of--sai d carrier to forcibly e eetthe -fzmt from saidgcarrler. fist,

irrglearrier, se arating means arrange 9, frnitsizerhaving-a horizontally movthereabove at gra uated heights andspaced apart N .onsaid carrier, and means for operating said as arating means.

76 my handat'Los Angeles California this 7th day of November 1905,,

ROBERT STRAIN,

In presence of'- FREDERICK S: LYON,

VERNA A. TALBERT. 

